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The Bearcats fell to the Lee County Trojans 12-11 in extra innings. Bainbridge came back from a 9-run deficit to send the game to the additional period but was unable to get the win.

Bainbridge walked 13 Trojan batters in the loss, something Bearcats’ head coach Donnie Coxwell said inhibited their success

“If we walk ten instead of thirteen, we win the game,” Coxwell said. “We’re not throwing strikes… We’re supposed to throw strikes, and we’re not throwing them.”

The Trojans scored nine runs unanswered before the Bearcats got on the scoreboard. Lee County opened the game with one run in the first inning. They tacked on six more scores in the third inning and scored two runs in the fifth inning.

Bainbridge responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth inning. Amarion Donaldson scored after Nate Cannon was walked with the bases loaded. Parker Landrum scored on the next at-bat after the Trojans’ pitcher threw a wild pitch. 

Lee County matched the Bearcats with two runs of their own in the sixth inning. 

Bainbridge rallied with nine runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at 11. The offensive surge made the Trojans change pitchers twice in the inning. 

Bowen Smith spurred the comeback with a line-drive double, bringing Brennan Enfinger home. Corbyn Thompson scored on the next at-bat off a Luke Griffin ground ball. Griffin and Smith scored on the next at-bat, thanks to a line drive triple from Landrum. Landrum scored two at-bats later from a wild pitch to Cannon at the plate. Drew Clayton scored two at-bats later after Graham Beckham was walked at the plate. Cannon scored two at-bats later after Donaldson was walked at the plate. Cain Worthington scored on the next at-bat from a wild pitch to Smith at the plate. Enfinger scored the tying run in the inning off a wild pitch during the same at-bat. 

“Hitting’s contagious,” Coxwell said. “Once one person starts hitting, it feels like everybody’s going to start hitting.”

Bainbridge shut the Trojans out in the top of the seventh but didn’t walk the game off in their turn at the plate. Regulation ended with a score of 11-11, and the game went into extra innings.

Lee County opened the additional period at the plate and scored one run in the 8th inning. The Bearcats were up to bat in the bottom of the 8th. They were unable to score, and the game ended with a 12-11 final score.

The loss puts the Bearcats at an 0-4 record on the season. Coxwell said their record doesn’t tell the full story. He said they’ve been in most of their games but haven’t been able to finish or have been plagued by errors that swing the game. Tonight’s loss is the second time the Bearcats have mounted a comeback from an 8+ point deficit this season. 

“I think [a win] is going to come,” Coxwell said. “They’re working too hard to just not get it.”

They Travel to Valdosta next to take on Valdosta High School. The away game starts at 5:30 on Tuesday, Feb. 27